SAY WHAT? Rays manager Joe Maddon, who was ejected, argues with umpire Paul Emmel in the third inning of the Yankees’ 6-4 win yesterday. Photo: AP

SAY WHAT? Rays manager Joe Maddon, who was ejected, argues with umpire Paul Emmel in the third inning of the Yankees’ 6-4 win yesterday. (AP)

Joe Girardi said he doesn’t know when Derek Jeter’s left lower leg problem will allow him to play shortstop.

“I am not sure, we will have to see how he feels Tuesday,’’ said Girardi, who has used Jeter as the DH in the last four games and Eduardo Nunez at short. “My hope is that he feels a lot better in 48 hours, but we are going to have to see.’’

Girardi was encouraged by Jeter’s movement in the third inning, when he singled and took second when the throw went home.

“But then he told me on the ball Robby Cano hit that got lost in the sun, he was running under control and that’s hard for him,’’ Girardi said. “I thought there was still a little limp there but he said it was hard because he was trying to run under control.’’

“I think it still hurts, I don’t think he is a shortstop right now,’’ Girardi said.

****Rafael Soriano didn’t post his first save until May 10. Yesterday, he notched his 40th in 43 chances.

October could be the month the Yankees miss Mariano Rivera, but Soriano has filled in at closer very well during the regular season.

“I think a lot of people were extremely concerned when Mo went down, what was going to happen to the New York Yankees in the ninth inning,’’ Girardi said. “He has been tremendous. I can’t say enough about the job he has done.’’

Soriano is the fourth Yankee to save 40 games in a season. Rivera did it eight times; Dave Righetti and John Wetteland once each.

***Former big league star and current GM of the Dominican Republic WBC team, Moises Alou, was at Yankee Stadium yesterday.

Alou visited with Yankees bench coach Tony Pena and has an interest in Pena managing the Dominican team in next year’s tournament.

Alou hasn’t asked the Yankees permission to talk to Pena, but GM Brian Cashman said he would grant it.

Pena, who is on a year-to-year deal with the Yankees, would be forced to miss the start of next year’s spring training if he manages the Dominican club if the Yankees bring him back.

Pena, a former big league manager with the Royals, should get some calls about major league vacancies. According to Cashman, the Astros, who are interviewing, haven’t called for permission to talk to Pena or any other coaches.

The Yankees will need a roster spot to activate Andy Pettitte for tomorrow night’s start and possibly for Brett Gardner. Pettitte and Gardner are on the 60-day DL and the Yankees have 40 names on the 40-man roster.

Gardner would be available for pinch-running purposes only since he is still recovering from right elbow (non-throwing) surgery.

Rays manager Joe Maddon was ejected in the third inning by plate umpire Paul Emmel after Emmel issued warnings to the Rays and Yankees following Matt Moore throwing a 95-mph fastball behind Curtis Granderson. It was Maddon’s fourth boot this year.

***MLB executive VP and former Yankees manager Joe Torre watched yesterday’s game from the first row behind the Rays’ dugout.

**Rays manager Joe Maddon was ejected in the third inning by plate umpire Paul Emmel after Emmel issued warnings to the Rays and Yankees following Matt Moore throwing a 95-mph fastball behind Curtis Granderson.

It was Maddon’s fourth boot this year.

Five innings later, Matt Joyce was run by Emmel. Joyce was called out on strikes and was walking back to the dugout when Emmel ejected him.

***Whenever Jeter’s bruised left leg is healthy enough so he can return to shortstop, its possible the right-handed hitting Nunez will be used as the DH against lefties.

“It’s something that we will have to talk about,’’ said Girardi. “We wanted to keep him in one position.’’

Since being promoted from Triple-A Scranton / Wilkes-Barre on Sept. 1, Nunez has started five games and has been at short for the last four.

When the Yankees sent Nunez to SWB on May 11, they wanted him to focus on playing short only.

“He was all over the place, he played second, shortstop, third and left,’’ Girardi said. “We asked him to do a lot of different things.’’